Briara
Derived from the English word "briar," meaning a prickly plant or shrub.
Name Census estimates that about 53 living Americans carry the first name Briara. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Briara today is around 27 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Briara births was 2004 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Briara. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Briara. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
53
~ 1 in 6,467,063 Americans
Peak year
2004
9 babies that year
Average age
27
years old
2008 SSA rank
#18,001
Tracked since 1993
Popularity
Briara: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Briara from the 1990s through to the 2000s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 35 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1990s peak, Briara remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Briara by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Briara during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Briara
The name Briara is believed to have its origins in the ancient Celtic language spoken by tribes inhabiting parts of modern-day Ireland and Scotland. It is derived from the Celtic root word "bri," meaning "hill" or "elevated land," and the suffix "-ara," which denotes a feminine form. As such, the name Briara is thought to have initially referred to a woman residing in or associated with a hilly or mountainous region.
During the medieval period, the name Briara appeared in several historical records and annals documenting the lives of notable figures from Celtic and Gaelic societies. One of the earliest recorded instances is found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle spanning from the 5th to the 16th century, which mentions a Briara ingen Domnaill, a noblewoman from the 11th century.
The name also holds significance within the realm of Celtic mythology and folklore. In the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, there is a reference to a character named Briara, described as a powerful druidess and healer revered for her wisdom and connection to nature.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Briara. One such person was Briara of Leinster (c. 1050 - 1110), a renowned poet and bard who composed numerous works celebrating the heroic deeds of Irish kings and warriors. Another notable figure was Briara Nic Cionnaith (c. 1280 - 1340), a skilled herbalist and healer renowned for her knowledge of traditional Celtic medicine.
In the 15th century, a Scottish noblewoman named Briara Macleod (c. 1420 - 1490) played a significant role in the political affairs of the Hebrides islands, acting as a diplomat and advisor to various clan chiefs. Another historical figure was Briara Ó Maoilriain (c. 1550 - 1610), an Irish scribe and scholar who contributed to the preservation of ancient Celtic manuscripts and literary works.
More recently, in the 19th century, Briara Macpherson (1820 - 1895) was a Scottish educator and advocate for women's rights, working to establish educational opportunities for girls in the Highlands region.
While the name Briara has ancient roots in Celtic culture and history, its usage has remained relatively uncommon compared to more mainstream names. However, its unique and evocative meaning, rooted in the natural landscapes of the British Isles, has endured through the centuries, carrying a sense of connection to the rich cultural heritage of Celtic societies.
People
Briara + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Briara as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Briara: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Briara?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 53 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Briara going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 6,467,063 US residents.
Is Briara a common name?
We classify Briara as "Very Rare". It ranks above 55.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 54 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Briara most popular?
The single biggest year for Briara was 2004, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Briara is about 27 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Briara in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Briara a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Briara in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Briara still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Briara in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Briara can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Briara?
Find out how many people have the name Briara on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.